From the dirt to our plate; the trials and realities of first-time farm ownership

Master Bathroom: A Cedar Closet & Hallway Conversion

I still remember the first time my husband and I walked down the hallway to view the bedrooms of our then prospective home. The storage space and empty area in the hallway was impressive, yet it seemed like a great waste of space. Having two closets in such an out of the way public area seemed a bit overkill.

After purchasing the home we made plans to close off a portion of the space to make way for a small half-bath in what would become our master bedroom. We made a spur of the moment decision to sacrifice one of the closets hoping to have enough room for a simple pedestal sink and a toilet. I’m happy to say, this was yet another brilliant idea hatched by my hardworking husband!

Knowing that I wanted to include some of the original character of the cedar closet into the new room, we left the back wall planking intact. To help protect everything from moisture, I lightly hand-sanded the wood and applied a water-based satin acrylic coating. This enhanced the color of the wood and made the wall an attractive feature in the small space.

The mosaic floor tile I had chosen was in-line with the overall pedestal sink and toilet design I had in mind. It would add a little interest to the room while making the space look more expansive than it really was. The install was simple enough for me to do myself within 1-2 hours. Twenty-four hours post install, I was able to add the pewter toned sanded grout to make the tiny tiles stand out.

To shake up the design, my husband proposed we install a vanity cabinet instead of the previously planned pedestal sink. This would give us more practical storage and countertop space. Following his lead, we went for it! To make the most of the minimal area we decided to build the cabinet to fill the exact alcove dimensions. While I designed, my husband executed the fine details perfectly…right down to the furniture feet & trim.

The cabinet color was added on a whim in an effort to spice up an otherwise monotone room. The color, Fresh Basil, accented well with the dark cedar feature wall. To keep costs down, we decided to utilize a $20 laminate countertop in this private area. Coupled with a vessel sink and stylish faucet, the room still had a sense of richness to it. Everything meshed well with the artwork on the wall, the colorful rag rug on the floor and the battleship green/grey of the barn-style sliding door. The results were a bit more eclectic than the original design, but it was so “us”.

Other space saving accents were added to the room to make it even more functional. From a wall mounted makeup mirror, in-wall medicine cabinet and the towel storage rack above the toilet, the room grew leaps and bounds over what we initially envisioned.

Although my husband might tell you it’s a woman’s bathroom, we are both pleased with how it came together. For under a $1000, I doubt anyone would complain about this little addition. In the end, it took a little more work with the cabinet build, but it was truly the best way to make the most of a room that was roughly 4-ft x 6-ft.

Much to my husband’s dismay, now that we have this bathroom finished, we will soon be off to remodel the main floor full-bath. I have some awesome (yet basic) design plans in mind for this next space. I look forward to seeing just how much we can pull off!